Chris and Kolleen Dougherty
Chris Dougherty first came to Kieve when he was 11 years old. He instantly felt right at home, returning for several more years as a camper and then counselor.
"It always stuck as a place where I felt I could be my best self," Chris says. "The counselors that I met were like these incredible older brothers; these role models that I always wanted to grow up and be like. They had an energy and an excitement that kept me coming back."
After his counselor years, Chris then went on to join the Advisory Board in 2001 and the Board of Trustees in 2019. His younger brother Jesse also attended Kieve as a camper, while his older brother Mark joined as a counselor. All three have since sent the next generation of Dougherty children to Kieve or Wavus. In fact, there has been a Dougherty family member at camp every year since 1980.
Chris and his wife Kolleen have sent all four of their children — Ellis, Frazier, Harry, and Tessa — who enjoyed pushing themselves during the outdoors trips and came home more independent after every session.
Kolleen credits Kieve with making Chris the person she wanted to marry — a fun, goofy guy who is kind, loves the outdoors, and can be comfortable handling all different kinds of situations. Seeing what the camp had done for Chris and his brothers, Kolleen knew she wanted their kids to have the same experience; to be in a place that fostered their love of the outdoors and challenged them to go beyond what they thought they were capable of.
When it came time to send their eldest child to camp, Kolleen recalled feeling nervous not knowing exactly what to expect. Her anxiety was quickly calmed when then-Director Henry Kennedy called to check in on the first night and let them know their daughter was already right at home.
"That warmth and love that you get — the kindness and respect — it's with everybody who's there," Chris says. "It's such a part of that culture."
While setting up their will, Chris and Kolleen knew KWE was where they wanted to leave a legacy.
"My passion is here, and we want to give access to the next generation and acknowledge what an impactful place it has been for us, and what it can be for the community," Chris says.
In addition to ensuring the longevity of life-changing experiences that Chris and their children had at camp, Kolleen said becoming Paddle & Pines members is also a way to show their appreciation for the organization and what it has done for their family over the years.
"It was important to give back to let KWE realize how much they mean to us," Kolleen says.